


Good To Be Here With You

by LacePendragon



Category: RWBY
Genre: Feelings, First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Post V7C2, Spoilers for V7C2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2021-01-28 21:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21399199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LacePendragon/pseuds/LacePendragon
Summary: After the kids go off to the dorms with Penny, Qrow has a question: where is he supposed to be sleeping, tonight?James offers his quarters, and the ensuing confusion, misunderstandings, and embarrassments lead to a discussion they should have had a long time ago.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Comments: 46
Kudos: 318





	Good To Be Here With You

**Author's Note:**

> We all want Qrow to sleep in James' quarters. I'm just giving the people what they want.
> 
> I also wanted to explore a second take on the episode. First fic was "sort of together but not really", this fic is "pining". I like options.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy it!

After the kids took off for the dorms, the Ace-Ops dispersed to do whatever the hell it was they did when they weren’t terrorizing perfectly fine people, thank you very much, and James and Qrow had taken a moment to gather themselves after that _unexpected_ hug, Qrow found himself wondering just where the hell he was supposed to stay.

He couldn’t sleep in the dorms, because they were for kids. Obviously, he wouldn’t want to stay in the dorms, either. Not only because they were for kids and he’d have no adults around to talk to, once again, but also because a grown man in a dorm full of teenagers would get a lot of looks and comments.

Gods knew Qrow was already dealing with looks from a handful of people in Mantle and the soldiers that had brought them up. Not to mention the looks in Argus. And in Mistral. And in the train. It was like half the people they ran in to were convinced Qrow was some kind of child-trafficking predator.

Which, first of all: disgusting.

Second of all: _they could all kick his ass into next week._ Every single one of those kids, bar Oscar, would absolutely destroy him and had proven that point when they’d stood between him and Ruby during all the stuff with Jinn. And if Oscar _did_ have anything to worry about, which he didn’t, fuck no, Nora would beat Qrow to death with her hammer for him.

Of that, he was certain. Her protectiveness of “cute boy Oz” as she tended to call him was weirdly endearing.

That aside, Qrow was older than the kids. By a lot. And, with Qrow being older, and being unable to sleep in the dorms, meant he had a bit of a… problem to solve.

“Hey, James?” asked Qrow. They still stood in the solarium between the offices. James checking his Scroll while Qrow texted Ruby to make sure she was okay – she was. “Where uh… where am I sleeping?”

James looked up and blinked at Qrow, brow furrowed. “I presumed in my quarters,” he replied, words slow and careful. He tilted his head at Qrow, studying him with a curious look that he couldn’t place.

Qrow blinked back. They both stared owlishly at each other and Qrow couldn’t help but be reminded of a stand-off, albeit, a rather ridiculous one.

“Right.” Qrow cleared his throat. “Lead the way.”

James nodded and turned, leading Qrow to his apartment. Qrow fought the flush that fought its way up his cheeks. Of _course_ he was sleeping in James’ quarters. James had a spare bedroom. Hell, Qrow had been there a few times. Though he’d never slept there.

That was new.

Still, Qrow couldn’t shake the awkwardness he felt. The hug had brought up all sorts of emotions within him, affection and longing and guilt and self-hatred, all twisting together into one mass of _bleh._

As they walked, Qrow struggled to find a way to explain his conflict with James. If he asked, James would probably tell him what that hug was, wouldn’t he? But Qrow didn’t want to deal with that level of embarrassment. He’d already been caught off guard and arrested today. He didn’t need James asking him why the hell he thought a hug had to mean anything other than an “I missed you”. That was definitely worse than getting arrested by Loud Mouth McDumbass and his band of reject fashion models.

So, instead, Qrow said nothing, no matter how much he wanted to. James was a touchy guy; it wasn’t _that_ weird for James to hug him. Except, he’d waited until Qrow was alone. He’d called Qrow back just to hug him and tell him he’d missed Qrow. That was strange, wasn’t it?

Or was that just wishful thinking on his part?

Watching the kids start to fall for each other. Seeing couples in Mistral. Seeing Jaune’s sister in Argus. It had all stirred something in his gut he tried to keep in the back of his mind, under lock and key.

His feelings for James weren’t productive. They could stay in a damn box.

But no, James had to hug him, and now Qrow was _confused._

Fucking emotions. This had been part of why he’d stayed drunk. But sobering up was important. Quitting was important. For himself, but mostly for Ruby.

He never wanted to let her down like that, ever again.

Qrow was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice when James stopped in front of his apartment and bumped into him. He stumbled back, cursing at how solid both halves of James were, and held his nose.

“Are you all right?” asked James staring down at him with concern.

Qrow swallowed, trying to beat his emotions back into the box, and nodded.

“Fine. Was distracted.” He cleared his throat and waited for James to open the door. When he did, Qrow was careful to pay attention and keep his distance, so that it didn’t happen again.

“You remember where everything is, I take it?” Qrow nodded at James’ words. “Excellent. Well, I need a shower. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Qrow swallowed hard as he watched James go, trying not to think about James in the shower.

_No, bad brain. Bad._

He stood there for a long minute and then shuffled down the hallway to the three doors that marked the two bedrooms and bathroom of James’ personal quarters in Atlas.

He technically had a big ass house, elsewhere in Atlas, but he never used it, and Qrow didn’t think it was used for anything except the occasional mass sleepover when James took in more kids than the quarters could handle.

He sighed, shaking his head, and cast a glance toward the closed door, leading into the bathroom.

The sound of the shower started up. Qrow listened to the running water of the shower and grimaced, dragging his gaze from the bathroom door to the other two.

He casted his gaze from the door to James’ bedroom, to the door of the guest bedroom. He stared, back and forth, between the two, unable to drag himself toward either. The way James had held him, looked at him, set a fire of longing in his chest that he couldn’t shake. But, they weren’t _anything_. They were friends. They had always been friends. Just because James looked at him like Qrow was the love interest in one of those romance movies Nora had put on repeat in Mistral didn’t mean anything.

Yet, he couldn’t force himself to make the walk into the guest room, either. The guest room was admitting defeat. It was destroying what little hope he had gained in that hug. In the way James had spoken to him.

Qrow cursed and yanked one hand back through his hair, strands catching on his rings and making him wince. He stared between the two doors, closed his eyes, and sighed, entire body slumping forward. Rubbing a hand over his face, Qrow muttered, ‘fuck it’, opened his eyes, and turned, striding toward the living room.

He dropped onto the couch and sagged into it, leaning back. It was a comfortable couch, and he leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling, which James had painted with the constellations visible in the night sky. Qrow tilted his head, trying to figure out what date the sky was. There was always a _reason_ for what James did, and the stars changed by the night, if not by the hour. Surely, he’d picked something specific.

The first time Qrow had visited this apartment, the ceiling had been a flat off-white. Which made him wonder what James had painted it, and why?

He frowned, squinting at the ceiling, but it went blurry and foggy around the edges, and refused to focus again.

In fact, his whole field of vision was out of focus. Seemed the exhaustion had finally gotten to him.

Qrow sighed and toed off his shoes, kicking them somewhere under James’ coffee table. He pulled his cape off, tossing it over the back of the couch. Qrow slid down further into the couch, debating if he wanted to sleep upright or if he should try and curl up, sideways, on the couch. It was definitely long enough, but there were no blankets or pillows or anything on this couch. Almost as if no one ever used it.

Qrow shrugged and stayed upright, letting his eyes close to get rid of the blurriness that taunted him. He was decently comfortable, and he figured James would assume he’d slept in the guest room. That would avoid any potential awkwardness. Or so Qrow hoped.

He wasn’t sure how long he drifted, half-formed images of the past few months washing over him, before a voice woke him up.

“Qrow?” James’ voice rolled through the apartment just as it had rolled down the stairs in his office. “What are you doing out here?”

Qrow lifted his head and blinked, squinting at James. The man stood in _monogrammed pyjamas_, which was a very James thing to be wearing, though Qrow hadn’t thought they actually existed. His hair was wet, his prosthetics exposed near his collarbone and with his bare right hand.

He furrowed his brow at Qrow, whose vision focused enough to see the soft confused and sadness in James’ expression.

“Trying to sleep?” guessed Qrow. Though, he wasn’t sure anymore. He’d mostly been thinking about James, and about coming to Atlas, and about how much he regretted the last year. Thinking about trying to get some sleep but knowing he couldn’t, with James in another room, the two of them separated by walls and tension.

“Oh,” said James. He seemed to hesitate, though Qrow couldn’t place why. “I’ll get you a blanket.” He shifted, about to turn, and Qrow pushed himself off the back of the couch to turn and look at James.

“Hey, what’s up?” asked Qrow, cocking his head.

James pressed his lips together, a gesture less visible now that he had a beard. In fact, a lot of James’ facial expressions were hidden, now that he had a beard. Qrow would have said it was on purpose, but James had been bad at taking care of himself when the world _wasn’t_ about to end.

“Nothing,” said James.

Qrow scowled. “_Jim._”

James sighed. “I just…” He reached up and smoothed his prosthetic hand down his beard. “I thought – I’d _hoped_ – you’d sleep in my room.”

The air left Qrow’s lungs all at once, leaving him gapping at James, who watched Qrow with what little of his face that was visible turning redder by the moment.

“Oh.”

James swallowed, throat bobbing visibly, and ducked his head. He looked everywhere but at Qrow, as Qrow stared at James. Confusion? Shock? Hope? Qrow couldn’t place whatever emotions were flitting across his face. He was too busy trying to keep up with the ones in his mind.

That spark of hope caught, igniting into a candle flame.

“Right, well, clearly I made a mistake,” said James, clearing his throat. “I’ll get you that blanket.” He spun around and started down the hall.

“James.” James paused at the sound of Qrow’s voice. “Come sit down.”

Slowly, so slowly that Qrow thought time had frozen partway through, James turned back to him. His shoulders were tensed, bunched up near his chin, which he held in a tight line, his teeth clenched behind his lips. Qrow thought his fingers might have been trembling. Saw the fear that swam in James’ eyes, and the way it pulled down the corners of his lips and drained the colour from his face.

“Please,” said Qrow. He patted the space next to him, turning back to sit properly on the couch.

James said, “All right.”

He crossed the space between Qrow with hesitant steps, watching Qrow the whole time. Qrow watched him come, his gaze flicking up and down James. His feet were bare, revealing his metal foot and ankle. He must have been comfortable.

He _was_ comfortable, with that bit at least. Around _him_, even. Qrow had seen the prosthetics, obviously, but to have James so willingly expose that part of himself to Qrow was…

It pulled at his heart, leaving a tightness in his chest he didn’t dare put a word to.

The couch dipped under James’ weight as he sat. He stared at his hands, which he rested in his lap.

Qrow shifted to sit sideways, drawing one leg up onto the couch and tucking his foot under his other leg.

“All right,” said Qrow. He cleared his throat. “I think…” He hesitated, sighed, tugged his fingers back through his hair and then drew his hand forward again to scrub across his face. He was too damn _tired_ for emotions, but he wanted to talk about this.

He’d been hoping James wanted them to sleep in the same bed. Hoping that that hug had meant something more to James, just like it had to Qrow. And the moment it all came true, both of them panicked. Of course, they did.

“I never thought I’d see you again,” said James, his low, rumbling voice barely audible. Qrow started, eyes widening. James tilted his head, still bowed, to look at Qrow out of the corner of his eye. “I swore to myself that if you were alive, I’d be honest with you.”

Qrow thought about the office, the plan, the way James had been so open and earnest with all of them. Heh, _earnest._ Not a word he’d thought he’d ever use to describe a grown man, but there it was. There was no other word he could find to describe the way James had talked to them all.

“I think you’ve done pretty well,” said Qrow. He rested one hand on his leg and reached out with the other, splaying his fingers against James’ shoulder.

“No, I haven’t,” said James. He sighed, head bowing further. “I’ve told you all my plans, my hopes, but I haven’t been transparent about…” He trailed off and squeezed his eyes shut. His jaw worked, barely visible with the beard, and Qrow frowned.

“About what?” he prompted.

James cracked a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. One that was self-deprecating and sad. “You.” Qrow blinked. “My feelings for you, specifically.”

Heat rushed across Qrow’s face and he cleared his throat, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. He glanced away from James to gather himself. His chest was tight and warm; his back seemed to tingle in memory of James’ hug.

“Oh.”

Qrow wasn’t sure what else to say. He’d hoped, for so long, that James felt the same way about him, but now that it was happening, he didn’t know what to do. Doubt and guilt clawed at his chest and his heart. He had no idea what to do. Going sober was already going to be a hell of a journey. Not to mention trying to save the world, helping the kids, keeping secrets he didn’t want to keep – he needed to talk to Ruby. He needed to talk to her _soon_ – and then there was his semblance.

Wanting James to love him was selfish. Qrow didn’t _deserve_ James. Not after everything he’d done – not just to James, but to the rest of the world.

James, who wanted nothing more than to be honest with everyone. James, who shouldered the world and said it was fine. James, who had always looked at Qrow like he was worth something. Like he was worth looking _at_, instead of _through._

“I…”

“James.” Qrow cut him off before he could get any further. “You don’t want me.”

James tilted his head to look at Qrow, his brow furrowing. His shoulders slumped, his eyes narrowed, and he frowned at Qrow, lips a thin, downward curving line.

“What… what’s that supposed to mean?” asked James. His words were hesitant. He still didn’t turn to look at Qrow, just inclined his head that tiny bit. Qrow couldn’t figure out if it was better or worse than James facing him completely.

Qrow let out a quiet, self-deprecating laugh. He looked away from James, shrugging with one shoulder, and stared at his hands. One of his rings had slid up and he slid it back down, then kept his fingers there, spinning it around and around.

“Well…” Qrow cleared his throat. “I’m damaged goods, James.” _James._ He couldn’t force a nickname out from between his lips. His stomach rolled as he tried to say anything else, but the words wouldn’t come.

James was wrong about him. James didn’t _want_ him. James was probably just lonely. Not enough time around people his own age, who didn’t care about rank. The only other people he’d had like that, that Qrow could remember, was Glynda.

And who knew if Glynda was alive or dead, at this point.

Qrow hunched in on himself, curling both legs onto the couch. He wrapped his arms around his legs and tucked his chin onto his knees, staring down at his sock feet.

“You deserve better,” he whispered.

Silence. A shift of weight. A hand on his, cool, metal fingers curling around Qrow’s crumpled hands. Qrow blinked and stared at the hand, his own going slack as James worked his fingers between Qrow’s hands so he could hold one of Qrow’s hands with his own, their fingers entangled.

“You think far too lowly of yourself,” said James. His voice gentle. “You are so, so much better than you think, Qrow.”

Qrow’s mouth fell open. He dragged his gaze up to James, found that James had turned on the couch and was sitting facing him. James’ right leg drawn up under him. Almost a mirror to how Qrow had been sitting, a moment ago.

“I—” Qrow’s voice broke and he flushed. “I don’t understand.” And he didn’t, not really. James had started out the worried, confused one, hadn’t he? But Qrow had come to his senses. Or at least, he thought he had.

James lifted his other hand and rested it on the side of Qrow’s face, swiping his thumb under one of Qrow’s eyes. Was he crying? He didn’t think so.

He leaned into the touch, eyes fluttering closed for just a moment, until James spoke again.

“I love you.”

Qrow’s eyes snapped open and he stared, mouth falling open and eyes going wide. James stared at him, his jaw working like he was grinding his teeth, but otherwise he seemed… open. His gaze was steady, and while his nostrils flared on every other inhale, his lips were tugged up in a slight, _slight_ smile.

“You…”

“Have for years,” said James. His voice was low and soft, almost breaking in its gentleness. “I thought…” His eyes darted around Qrow’s face. “I thought I’d lost you. Perhaps I’m jumping the gun, but with the world the way it is—”

James abruptly fell silent as Qrow shifted, uncurled, and scrambled across the couch to crawl into James’ lap. He dropped into the space between James’ thighs, tangled his fingers in James’ hair, and kissed him.

James let out a soft noise of surprise, the air slipping past his lips and onto Qrow’s. Then, he was gripping Qrow, one hand around the back of his head and one on his lower back, and kissing back. That first kiss, closed mouthed and surprised, gave way to wetter, breathier kisses, as their lips parted to one another and they found a rhythm. Qrow’s entire body trembled, from exhaustion, from anxiety, from _excitement._ And James kissed like he did everything else, with every inch of himself. As if Qrow, and these kisses, were the only thing that mattered.

His beard rasped against Qrow’s cheeks. He’d have beard burn in the morning.

_Good._

He wanted to wear James’ love as a prize. A symbol.

And when they pulled back, Qrow stared at James, with his eyes hooded and his mouth open, soft breaths puffing against James’ beard and ruffling it.

“You know,” said Qrow. He swallowed hard and licked his lips, ignoring the he was almost close enough to each out and lick James’. “I’m not the best partner. I’m trying to get sober. I’m gonna be a mess.”

“That’s all right,” said James, soothing his fingers through Qrow’s hair. “I’ll help you.”

“And I’m a blanket hog,” said Qrow, words shaking.

James smiled. “I’ll get bigger blankets.”

“I…” Qrow swallowed again. “My semblance could kill you, in battle. It almost killed Ruby.”

“It won’t be a problem,” said James. “Your semblance has never hurt me, Qrow.”

Qrow frowned. “But—”

“Qrow.” James’ words were as gentle as his smile. “Clover’s semblance is _good luck_. If I send you into battle and you’re that worried, I’ll send him after you.”

Qrow blinked. “It is?” he asked.

James tipped his head to one side. “Why do you think I hired him?”

Qrow blinked _again._ “You did _not._” He narrowed his eyes.

“Maybe not entirely,” agreed James. “But it was a factor.” He combed his fingers through Qrow’s hair, smiling at him in that crinkled eye way that made Qrow flush and squirm a little, if only because he wasn’t used to getting so much attention. “I’m willing to try if you are.”

The words rang through Qrow’s mind and reverberated through his entire body. He stared at James’ gentle, smiling face. At the way he watched Qrow with so much affection, so much _love_, that Qrow couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed before.

The world could be ending, thought Qrow. And while part of him wanted to say ‘James doesn’t need the distraction’, the rest of him said ‘who cares’. And that part got louder with every second that passed with James waiting, patiently, for him.

Maybe the world _was_ ending. Maybe James’ plan would fail. Maybe whatever Ruby was planning would.

Maybe it’d all clash and Qrow would be dead before he was fifty.

But whether or not that was true, one thing remained the same: he wanted this.

He wanted this more than he’d ever wanted anything.

“Okay,” said Qrow. “Yeah… okay.” He shifted forward and bumped their foreheads together. “Okay.”

James hummed and nuzzled his forehead against Qrow’s, his eyes fluttering closed. Qrow sighed and closed his own eyes, letting the contentment wash over him as he did.

“I love you,” whispered James.

Qrow flushed. “You too,” he whispered back. He opened his eyes to find James looking at him again and his cheeks heated. He couldn’t say those words, not easily. Not even to his own family. The last person he’d ever said it to had tried to kill him in Mistral.

But the look on James’ face said he didn’t mind. Said it didn’t bother him. Said that he knew what Qrow was saying, with fewer words.

“Come on,” said James. He shifted back from Qrow, as best he could with Qrow still in his lap, and slipped his arms under Qrow. “It’s time for bed.” Abruptly, he stood, scooping up Qrow and taking Qrow with him into the air.

Qrow yelped and scrambled, arms latching around James’ neck as he was hoisted up. He stared down at the floor, which wasn’t that far away but _damn_ if it wasn’t weird to be in someone’s arms, and then he stared up at James, who grinned at him.

“You _are_ sleeping in my bed, aren’t you?” asked James.

Qrow snorted. “Yeah, Jim, yeah I am.” He rested his head on James’ chest, and James turned and carried him to bed.

Qrow was asleep almost before James put him down.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are deeply appreciated! Please and thank you!


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